Already during his diploma studies in Bioengineering at FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Dr. Felix Jakob was very interested in applied research and decided to make his diploma thesis, combined with a practical semester, at the company Henkel, where he mainly worked in process development and fermentative production of detergent proteases. After having spent a semester abroad at Napier University in Edinburgh he then in 2009 graduated as engineer (Dipl.-Ing. FH). Subsequently, he was offered the possibility to do his PhD with Prof. Schwaneberg at the chair of biotechnology at RWTH Aachen. The focus of his PhD thesis was the development of tailor-made proteases for application in liquid detergents. His thesis was in the frame of a BMBF funded cooperation project with Henkel and therefore he stayed in close collaboration with industry. His results are protected by two successful patent applications. In 2013, he finished his PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) and got the chance to start his own research group at the DWI – Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials in Aachen. The research focus of his group is the development and optimization of proteins, enzymes and peptides, which can be applied for biohybrid materials with tailor-made properties and functionalities. Currently, there are two Post-Docs, seven PhDs and several master and bachelor students in his group, all working on multidisciplinary projects. Furthermore, since 2014 Felix Jakob is working as a scientist at SeSaM-Biotech, a spin-off company from Jacobs University Bremen that is producing tailor-made enzymes for industrial application.

In the last years, Felix Jakob co-applied for and coordinated several projects in the thematic frame of bioeconomy. Together with Prof. Schwaneberg he is since 2013 involved in a BMBF funded innovation alliance “Functionalization of polymers”, which, among others, deals with the application of anchor peptides for functionalization of textiles. The alliance is in the scope of the national research strategy "BioÖkonomie2030”. Within the frame of three BioSC funded projects (GreenGel, BiFuProts and RIPE) he was able to further develop the anchor peptide technology for future application in plant health. The greenRelease technology is based on tailor-made microgel containers (200 nm to 10 μM), which can be loaded with desired components, e.g. fungicides, which are then slowly being released. The binding of biodegradable microgel containers on the plant surface (leaves and fruits) is ensured by optimized anchor peptides. Thanks to this new technology, the application of fertilizers and pesticides can be controlled and thereby minimized.

Recently Felix Jakob successfully applied for a project within the BMBF call „Bioeconomy international”, giving him a great opportunity to extend his international network. The project, which is a cooperation with scientists from Brasil, is aiming to adjust the anchor peptide technology for application on orange plants and thereby protect the plants in a sustainable way from citrus canker.

From January 2018 onwards, Felix Jakob will lead the FocusLab „GreenRelease for Plant Health”. Together with eight project partners they will further develop the greenRelease technology for selected fungicides and herbicides and will validate it in field trials. Additionally, economic aspects, e.g. market entry barriers and consumer acceptance, will be adressed within the project.